Stanbic Bank Botswana celebrates 25 years

Stanbic Bank Botswana opened its doors 25 years ago, following Standard Bank’s acquisition of the Africa operations of ANZ Grindlays in eight separate African economies. Stanbic Bank Botswana teamAt the time, Botswana was considered an “overbanked” economy, so the question arises why Standard Bank Group sought to establish operations in Botswana?

The answer is unpretentious – the bank was following its large corporate clients, many of whom were headquartered in South Africa, but whose other Africa operations needed the same level of support and expertise. At the time, most of the big deals were being made in the extractive industry sector, and natural resources remains one of Stanbic Bank Botswana’s strategic focus areas.

In just 25 years, Stanbic Bank has become a leading name in Botswana, as its recent financing of the $825 million expansion of the country’s Morupule B power station has shown. It now offers the full spectrum of financial services, from Personal and Business Banking to Corporate and Investment Banking, as well as custody and trustee business. Like the wider Standard Bank Group, Stanbic Bank Botswana draws its strength from the fact that is a distinctly African institution, dedicated to serving the continent and helping its people reach their personal and business ambitions, and growing industries and enterprises.

And, as in any prosperous and thriving community, there is consensus - from board members to the staff on the ground floor - that Stanbic Botswana will be known for identifying, nurturing and producing the best banking talent in the country in order to serve its clients with excellence.

“We have an immense hunger for success and a courageous spirit”, says Sheperd Aisam, the Head of Corporate and Investment Banking. Louis Van Ravesteyn, the Head of Personal and Business Banking, believes the bank differentiates itself through service excellence.Leina Gabaraane, Stanbic Bank Botswana Chief Executive

Furthermore, its strategy is aligned with the nation. It supports initiatives aimed at economic diversification, beneficiation of the mining sector, and a thriving service sector.

The bank’s corporate culture is about going beyond brilliance. It is self-driven by a carefully chosen group of likeminded individuals. Standard Bank’s Global Leadership College ensures that this team is thoroughly grounded in best-of-breed banking practices.

Service excellence is backed by a state-of-the-art IT system. Stanbic’s Finacle Core Banking Solution runs a real-time account processing platform. This system has proved its worth and upped the bank’s game. Its enterprise-class capabilities have heightened the agility and efficiency of Stanbic’s operations, and significantly improved the user experience by customizing offerings, as well as providing enhanced accessibility and convenience.

Initiatives in the corporate social responsibility space include the patronage of football team Township Rollers, the Diacore Marathon, the Morupule Cycle Challenge, the Stanbic Bank Piazza, and the Stanbic Bank Super 5s Football Centre.

Stanbic Bank Botswana’s senior management wants to send the market a clear message: “Africa is our home, we drive her growth”. In other words, they will continue to make strides in the world of financial services; their clients - whether corporate, business or personal - come first; and as an African bank, they sky’s the limit.

The year 2017 may be its Silver Jubilee, but Stanbic Botswana’s executive team is clear that the bank is not just a leading financial institution, it is also a learning institution, reactive and responsive to the needs of the market. While its silver anniversary is a significant event, Team Stanbic Bank Botswana is reaching above and beyond the gold standard - going for a whole new benchmark relevant to Botswana – the diamond touchstone.